nothing but a gross of green paltry spectacles!" "Dear mother," cried
the boy, "why won't you listen to reason? I had them a dead bargain,
or I should not have brought them. The silver rims alone will sell for
double the money." "A fig for the silver rims," cried my wife, in a
passion: "I dare swear they won't sell for above half the money at the
rate of broken silver, five shillings an ounce." "You need be under no
uneasiness," cried I, "about selling the rims, for they are not worth
sixpence; for I perceive they are only copper varnished over." "What!"
cried my wife, "not silver! the rims not silver?" "No," cried I, "no
more silver than your saucepan." "And so," returned she, "we have parted
with the colt, and have only got a gross of green spectacles, with
copper rims and shagreen cases? A murrain take such trumpery! The
blockhead has been imposed upon, and should have known his company
better." "There, my dear," cried I, "you are wrong; he should not have
known them at all." "Marry, hang the idiot!" returned she, "to bring me
such stuff: if I had them I would throw them in the fire." "There again
you are wrong, my dear," cried I, "for though they be copper, we will
keep them by us, as copper spectacles, you know, are better than
nothing."

By this time the unfortunate Moses was undeceived. He now saw that he
had been imposed upon by a prowling sharper, who, observing his figure,
had marked him for an easy prey. I therefore asked the circumstances
of his deception. He sold the horse, it seems, and walked the fair in
search of another. A reverend-looking man brought him to a tent, under
pretence of having one to sell. "Here," continued Moses, "we met another
man, very well dressed, who desired to borrow twenty pounds upon these,
saying that he wanted money, and would dispose of them for a third of
the value. The first gentleman, who pretended to be my friend, whispered
me to buy them, and cautioned me not to let so good an offer pass. I